After a season-long campaign of qualification, our 24 young finalists teed it up at Royal St. George's Golf Club in the final of this year's Race to St. George's competition. The early starters had a brief spell of rain to contend with, but the weather improved with each passing hour, and the majority of the day passed in pleasant late Autumn sunshine.
The best score of the day was a two-over-par 72, which was recorded by both Theo Rowe (North Foreland) and Abe Bignell (Kings Hill), with Theo taking first place on countback. Coming in third with a 75 was Tommy Hulance (Dartford).
In the Girls' scratch, Sasha Hellen (Dartford) took the spoils by three shots from Ellen Wilson (Cherry Lodge).
Emerging triumphant in the handicap stableford was Elliot Swift (Boughton) with 31 points, just ahead of Luke Hopson (North Foreland) with 30.
The 2023 Boys' Scratch Order of Merit was won by Haiden Matos (Dartford) after a very successful season that has seen him reduce his handicap to +0.4.
The Girls' Scratch Order of Merit was won by Truc Nguyen (Sundridge Park), who has also improved tremendously this year and looks set to carry on in the same vein next season.
Finally, our Handicap Order of Merit champion was William Henderson (Knole Park), who has played a lot of consistent golf on the way to the title. A single-figure handicap surely beckons!
Congratulations to all our finalists for making it through - an achievement in itself - and we thank The Royal St. George's Golf Club for their ever-wonderful hospitality and their continued support to our juniors. It is much appreciated.
Thanks must also go to our County President, Marilyn Brown, for her presence and help on the day, and our trusty band of referees and volunteers - Ken Hannah, Ali McGuirk, Jon Vail, Jane Marr and Tim Ewer.
Dates for the 2024:
East Qualifier - 10 April at North Foreland
West Qualifier - 29 May at Langley Park
South Qualifier - 5 August at Weald of Kent
North Qualifier - 20 August at Mid-Kent
Final - TBC
>> Race to St George's Photo album